Yarn feed means



Sept. 3, 194.6.A E. KmmLmAN YARN Flfl` MEANS y Filed Orsc` y Z2 Y 20, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ef-gl.;

mmmmmmmml E. KILLIAN YARN FEED MEANS sept. 3, 1946.

s sheets-sheet 2 Eiled'oot. 20,1944

Se'pt. 3, 1946.

E. KILLIAN YARN FEED MEANS Filed Oct. 20, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fmi- 1a.

Patented Sept. 3, 1946 I neus Ezekiel Killian, Reading, Pa., assignor, by direct andY mesne assignments, of one-fourth to 'E'. Louisl Kotzen, one-fourth to Samuel R. Kotzen, one-fourth to Myer E. Kotzen, all` of Reading, Pa., and one-fourth to Howard C. Mohn Hosiery Co. Inc'., Reading,.Pa., a corporation of Pennsyl- Vania Applicationloetober 2o, 1944, serial No. l559,527

(c1. srs-125) 18 Claims. 1

This invention generally pertainsl to yarn feeding means for knitting machines and the like, and more particularly to novel yarn feeding means 0f the type forming part of the subject matter of my copending application Serial No. 528,110, filed October 20, 1944, as'herein-illustrated.v

Modern knitting machines of the Banner type utilized for the production of seamless hosiery, suchas army socks, are commonly provided with yarn feeding means comprising a plurality of independently operable yarn guides or fingers adaptedv respectively toy feed yarns of different size,A quality, material, color, etc., for use either singly, or in desired. combination or.l relation, in knitting different parts of astocking or sock; the severalV yarn guides beingselectively controlled for individualY and combined action as desired, by the standard or: conventional patterning means of such machines; Y

Provision hasiheretoforebeen made in such machinesto feed: theu yarn so as to effect terry loops, as well as plating, in certain courses or areas of the hosiery"knitted'thereby; f' However, the* means provided for this purpose ordinarily involvef separate yarn feeding arrangements Vor devices;A one for effecting terry vloops* and another Y mean-s. disclosed in said: application includes the v yarn` feeding arrangement forming the subject matter of` the present inventionv and application. The disclosure hereof is consequently coextensive with. the disclosure of said *pendingy application, andl will serve'to'exemplify, and-facilitate an understanding" of, the various novel phases, features and advantages of the inventionhereinvolved;

One object ofmy invention isto-provide novel response toa certain change in the feeding difrection of the yarn fed by said movable element.

Another objecty is to provide such meansy in whichthe movable yarn feeding` element is adapted to be selectively positioned by the yarn being fed thereby. l y Y A further object is to provide such means in which the movable yarn feeding element is selectively positioned by its yarn in correspondence with a change inthe feeding directionV thereof. An additional object is to provide such means in which the movable yarnv feeding element is adapted to be moved by its yarn to different positionsof cooperation withcertain elem-ents of the machine.

VA further object is to provide a novelyarn feed device or linger for knitting machines or thellike,

Y comprising tWo sections or parts arranged so that yarnfeedi'ng means. in knittingy machines or the like,Y comprising a pluralityofseparate yarn feed elements which are cooperatively arranged for united. yarn feeding actionY in a-,vari-ablepositionally related order,.onevof vvhichfelementsy is-rflimitedly movableebyits-:yarn relative toanother of said elements in'fsuch manner that said positionally related order of the elementswill be varied in when thev device is mounted in operative position in a machina one of the parts'will be moved relative to the other part bythe yarn in the manner andffor the purpose asi herein disclosed.

additional object is toprovide suchy a yarn feed device for circular knitting machines having a laterallyswingableyarn guide part or member adapted to feed a supplemental or auxiliary yarn to the knitting elements fromy two dilferent positions of feed as determined by the movement of the yarn in one feed-ing direction or the other.

LIt isv also an object to provide such ayarn feed device which embodies the mentioned and other structural and functional features of advantage over similar devices ofl the prior' art.

With these and` other objects in View, which will become more readily apparent-from the followingdetailed description of the practical and illustrative embodiments lof my novel yarn feed means sh'oWn'in the accompanying drawings,- the invention comprises the newV elements, features of construction and arrangement of parts in cooperative relationship, as herein disclosed and more particularly pointed out in the appended v claims.V

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is atopl plan view;A on an enlarged scale, Y

of one form 0f novel yarn feeding device, or finger for knitting machinesv and:v the like,.A constituting p a4v part of my' invention.y

Banner type, and shows my inventionv appliedV thereto;4

Figs.. 4 andre are, respectively; top planV and front elevational. views of a novel throat plate 3 device provided with yarn feed means in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan view, as seen by locking in the direction of the arrows S-S on Fig. 3, and showsl the relationship of my novel yarn feeding means when the machine is functioning to effect terry loops during movement of the needle cylinder to the left.

Fig. 7 is a front elevational view, of Fig.V 6, with the needles and dividers arranged in a straight plane to better illustrate the yarn arrangement.

Fig. 8 is a plan view'similar to Fig. 6, but illustrates the relative position of the various parts during movement of the-needle cylinder to the right.

Fig. 9 is a front elevational view of Fig. 8, but with the needles and dividers arranged in a straight plane, as in Fig. '7.

Fig. 10 is a front elevational view similar` to Fig. "1, but shows certain parts in another position, and illustrates the relationship of said parts when the machine is functioning to effect plating during movement of the needle cylinder to the left. Fig. 11 is a front elevational view similar to Fig. 9, and illustrates-the relationshp of the parts when the machine is functioning to effect plating during movement of the'needle cylinder to the right.

Fig. 12 is a side elevational View of a foot hose or sock which is partly broken' away, and diagrammatically illustrates certain internal areas provided with terry loops, as effected by thenovel means of my invention. Y

Fig. 13 is a side elevational viewof a foot hose or sock, similar to Fig. 12, and diagrammatically illustrates certain internal areas provided with plating, as effected by the novel means of my invention. v

In the referred to Banner type and other circular knitting machines, the latch or guard ring of the machine is provided at the yarn feed point with a so-called throat opening within which a plurality of yarn guide or feed fingers are located which are selectively operated by a pattern mechanism in well-known manner. Usually, the said throat opening has a iioor, or throat plate, which serves as a support upon which the active yarn guide finger, or fingers rest, with their delivery eyes in a predetermined horizontal plane close to the needle row. In passing from the active guide eye to the needle hooks, the yarn slides or reeves over the edge of this floor or throat plate,so that such edge, and the terminal corners thereof, normally define the delivery plane, or point, for any given yarn.

` As fully disclosed in my. said copending application, the novel yarn feed invention here involved may be cooperatively associated with the invention of said application to provide an arrangement which can be selectively adjusted to eifect either plating or terry loops with a secondary or auxiliary yarn in every course knittedY with a main or body yarn during rotary or reciprocal action of the'needles and during move- .ment of the needle series of the machine through va single knitting wave.

Accordingly, the novel yarn feed means of my invention may be utilized to facilitate the production of terry loops on the inside f a foot hose, or sock, as indicated for example in Fig. 12, i. e.,

in every course of the high splice section S, the

heel pocket H, the foot sole section F, and the ,toe pocket P.

Similarly, the novel yarn feed means of m invention maybe utilized to facilitatethe production of plating on the inside of a foot hose, or sock, as indicated for example in Fig. 13, i. e., in every course of the high splice section, the heel pocket, the foot sole section, and the toe pocket; these sections or parts being identifiedv in Fig. 13 by reference characters corresponding with those of Fig. 12. Y Y To effect proper feeding of the yarn when the knitting machine functions to produce knitted sections embodying either terry or plating loops, I provide novel yarn Vguide or feeding means comprising the'yarn guide device or nger shown more particularly in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings. In order to facilitate an understanding of how the said finger operates when associated with a knitting'machine, such for example as a, circular knitting machine of the type known as a Banner machine, the description will be proceeded with by rst explaining the construction of my novel yarn feeding means, and then briefly describing its operation when cooperatively associated with such a knitting machine. In this connection it is, of course, to be understood that the novel yarn feeding means of my invention is not limited in its construction and use to this one practical and illustrative embodiment, or purpose.

The yarn feeding element or finger generallyv indicated by the numeral 2U, is constructed so as to correspond insize and shape with the similar prior art devices used for feeding'yarns, for example, the fingers employed in a circular knitting machine of the said Banner type. The finger 2d is also provided with the usual parts and features embodied Yin the similar prior art fingers of the particular machine with which it is to be cooperatively associated. However, instead of being constructed as usual, i. e., of a single piece of metal or other material, it is made in two parts identified as 29a and 2th, The part 2Gb forms a continuo-us extension of the part 2Qa so that when the two-are united as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, they form a yarn feed finger which corresponds in size, configuration and other characteristics, substantially with the other` standard yarn feed ngers associated with the knitting machine to which it is applied. This feature is of significance in that it permits the ready substitution of my novel two-part yarn feed finger for one of standard construction, without necessitating any alterations insofar as Vthe conventional arrangement and operation of the yarn feed fingers and associated parts is concerned.

The separatefroht end, orpart 29h, of the finger 29, is provided with a vertically extending yarn guide aperture 2i, a portion 22 having an aperture 23 through which passes the shank of a screw f4 in'turn secured in a threaded bore in the lower offset extension 25 of the front section of the finger part 20a. The upper rear section of the part Zb is provided with an abutment 60 member 26 designed to cooperate with a complementary abutment member 2l integrally formed -on the finger part 28a. By this arrangement, the

part 28h is limitedly movable or swingable in a lateral direction with respect to the part 20a, 65 i.` e., the part 20h can be laterally swung from the position shownin full lines in Fig. l, to the position indicated in dot-and-dash lines in said figure. Movementof the part 2Gb beyond these extreme positions is prevented by the complemen- 7() tary abutment elements '26 and 2l, as clearly shown. l

In the knitting machine herein disclosed to illustrate one practical use of my novel yarn y feeding means, the device20 is cooperatively as- 75 Vsociated with another and separate yarn feeding vthe latch ,ring of the machine.

4 and 5.

5 element embodied in a'throat plate unit 28 shown in Figs. -4r and 5. Thisunit isi also generally the same in size and rconfiguration as; the similar units ordinarily associated with the latch ring ofconventional circular knitting machines, such as the refer-red to Banner type machines. As usual, this is of a generally U-shaped configuration and comprises a pair of oppositely arranged side members 29, each of which has a threaded bore 3l in its upper section arranged to retain the screws which secure the unit to A bottom or floor section 32 extends between the members 23 onY which the yarn feeding lingers of the machine are adapted to rest when in active positien. The front end of they bottom section 32 is provided with an edge 33 over which the yarn from the yarn feeding fingers slides or reeves during its feeding movement to the needles and ,sinke-rsof the machine.

In accordance with my invention, the front end of the bottom 'section 32r is provided with a transversely extending yarnguide aperturer 34, belowl the yarn reeving edge 33, as shown in Figs. At the rear of the bottom section there is also provided a suitable `yarn guide element 3.5. At each end ofithe yarn reeving edge 33, 'the unit 28 is provided with a yarn guide notch 13S-adapted to limit the lateral movement of the yarnv effected by'reciprocal action of' the needle and extending upwardly from the latch ring 3l. The device 2li' is arranged to be vertically moved between active and'v inactive. position as determined` byy the usual` mechanism ofV the machine. To permit such movement ofthe device 20, it is mounted on the usual pin or rod 38v which passes -through an aperture 4i! in its section 23a, the v,ends of which rod are 'securely seated in aligned apertures of the lugs 38..

To afford comparison and further clarify the arrangement [of my invention, a yarn feeding finger 5U ofv standard or conventional construction is shown in Figs. 3, 6 and 7, directly adjacent to the nger 2li; the latter being disclosed in lowered or active position in said figures, while the former is shown in raised or inactive position.

The throat plate unit is secured, as usual, in a cut-cut section of the forward lower portion of the latch ring 31, by means of two screws 4l which pass through suitable vertical apertures in the latch ring above the unit and are fastened inthe threaded bores 3l thereof, as clearlyshown.

In accordance with the common practice, the latch-1 ring is pivotally connected at one side with a stationary part of the knitting machine (conf nection not shown) so-that it may be swung vertically from the position shown in Fig. 3, to aposition above and to one sid'e of the needle cylinder in which are mounted the usual series of independently operable needles actuated in well known manner. An/ adjustment screw 43 is vertically mounted, as usual, in a threaded bore in aportion of the latch ring 3"!V adjacent to one of' the bearing lugs 38, so that the,v lower eXtremity of the screw rests on a stationary member 441 er the nettingr machine. The 'adjustment screw 431s provided for the purpose of establishing `the vertical position of the throat plate unit 28 and the acti-ve yarn feeding lingers associatedwith the latch ring 3l, relative tothe needles 42` andsinkers-45: After proper adjustment, theA screw 4:'3- isv fixed inv positionby a set screw 46 threadedly mounted in the side of the latch ringr section'through'which the screw 43 extends.

A vertical'jbracketi is secured to a side member of: the latch ringi3l, and said bracket is pro; vided atits upper end with a-horizontally positioned plate til through which extend" theusual porcelain eyelets adapted to guide the yarnsmoving from the cones or bobbins (not shown) of the machine, to the various yar-n feed means, such as the devices 2U, `28 and 50.

From the following description of the operation ofthe device 20 and unit 2Sv to effect terrying or plating,v .it will` become apparent. that' these two elements are cooperatively arranged for united yarn feeding action in a positionally related order which. is automatically varied' during certain phases ofthe operation of the machine, and that.. the unit 2'8` comprises yarn feeding means which is` xedly related to the yarn feeding device 26,;while the latter comprisesY yarn feeding means which is limitedly movable by its yarn relative tothe unit 28, with the result that positionally cooperative order of these two elements will be varied in response to a certain change in the feeding direction of the yarn fed by thedevice 2l).

, Operation ofimlentzon t0 eject termina When` it is desiredv to produce a knitted fabric such as an army sock of' the type illustrated in Fig; l2, in which the body yarn consistsv ofv about 50% cotton andz50% wool, and the terry loops are produced With yarn consisting of 100% wool, the novel means of my invention are arrangedl and operated as follows:

The body yarn B from the proper yarn cone or bobbinis passed through a suitable eyelet in the 4,5 plate 51 through vthe yarn guide element 3":5Y at the rear ofv the Vthroat plate 28, and through the yarn gui-de aperture 34 below the reeving edge 33 at the front end ofv the throat plate and directed to the needlesAZ in usual manner when operation 50 of; the machine is about t0 commence.- The terry yarn T is similarly taken from the proper yarn cone or bobbinis passed through a suitable eyelet inthe plate 51 located tothe right ofj the yarn guide finger 29 (Fig.V 6) so that it may be extended 55 downwardly from. said eyelet to the left and through the. yarn` guidek aperture 2l of the yarn guide finger 20, and then directed to the needles 42, over the reeving edge 33 ofthe throat plate` 28 at the left end yarn guide notch 3G, as shown in O-Figs. 6 and 7, to effect the production ofA terry loops in the manner next explained'.

Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 illustrate the action of the independently operable series of' latch needles 42 and cooperating sinkers-45 during feeding, thereto of. the body and; terry yarns by the novel yarn feeding means of my invention to. effect knitting of the body yarn into plain loopsand the'joining therewith of terry-loops.

When the independently operated needles 42 moveto theleft, as indicatedv by the arrowsin of the sinkers 45, substantially at the knitting point, or'wherethe needles 42 and sinkers 45 cooperate to form successive plain stitches in connection with the carrying out of a single knitting wave by the latch needles 42 in accordance with the known practice. Simultaneously with the formation of the plain loops by the body yarn, the terry yarn' T, after it leaves the aperture 2l of the yarn guide finger 20 and passes over the reeving edge 33 at the left end notch 36 of the throat plate 28 as shown, is fed tothe needles 42 and sinkers 45: at a lead angle such that it will pass over the tops 45b of the sinkers, substantially at the said knitting point, to form successive terry, or lengthened loops, in connection with the carrying out of a single knitting wave by the needles 42.

In this connection it is noted thatprior art meansA have heretofore been employed to feed the yarn to the needles and sinkers as above described to effect `the formation of combined plain and terry loops. However, the said prior art means is capable of such operation only when the needles are moving in one direction and it is particularly emphasized, therefore, that the yarn feeding means of my invention does not merely differ from said prior art means insofar as the structural Variations are concerned, but that the means of my invention is additionally designed and arranged to eiect this same result when the needles are moving in the opposite direction, or to the right, as will become clear by next referring to Figs. 8 and 9.

As there shown, rotation of the needles to the right will result in correspondingly moving the body yarn B and the terry yarn T to the right side of the throat plate 28. When this takes place, my novel yarn feeding means will cause the body and terry yarns to be fed to the needles and sinkers in the same relationship as before, but in order that this be accomplished with the terry yarn T, it will be noted that the part 29h of the yarn guide finger 2i) is pulled or moved laterally by the terry yarn T so that the latter occupies the same relative position with respect to the reeving edge 33 and the right end notch 36, as it did with respect to the reeving edge and the left end notch Y 36 when the needles were moving to the left. It will be understood, therefore, that the angular relationship of the body and terry yarns relative to the needles and sinkers is the same irrespective whether the needles .of the machine are moving to the left or right. Furthermore, Vthat this angular relationship of the two yarns B and T relative to the said knitting elements is maintained by reason of the central location of the yarn guide aperture 34 from which the body yarn B moves to the knitting point, with respect to the two yarn guide elementsor notches 36 from which the terry yarn T is fed to the same point as determined by the cooperatively associated yarn operated movable part 20D of the yarn guide finger 2B.

Operation of invention to effect plating When it is desired to produce a knitted fabric, such as a foot hose of the type illustrated in Fig. 13, in which certain parts are plated on the inside as previously pointed out, the novel means of my invention are arranged and operated as follows:

latch ring 31 (inthe manner previously described) to the extent necessary to bring the yarn reeving edge '33 into such relationship with the sinkers -of` the machine, that the angle of the plating yarn is altered or reduced suiiiciently so that the same will enter the throats 415a of the sinkers at the knitting point. This Will be accomplished by lowering the latch ring 31 approximately gli inch from the position which it occupies during operation of the machine to produce terry loops, as indicated by the dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 3.

' Figs. Vl0 and 11 illustrate the angular relationship of the body yarn B and a plating yarn A with respect to the needles and sinkers, and the manner in which both yarns enter the throats 4&5a of the sinkers-45 at the knitting point, after the latch ring has been Ylowered in the above noted manner. Fig. 10 shows the relationship of the parts previously described when plating takes place during movement of the needles to the left, and Fig. 11 shows the relationship of the same parts when plating takes place during movement of the needles to the right.

When operating the knitting` machine to produce either the foot hose of Fig. 12, or that shown in Fig. 13, the various constituent parts thereof are, of course, formed by rotary and reciprocal knitting in accordance with the usual and wellknown practice. The leg portion down to the heel pocket H is-effected by rotary knitting, the heel pocket by reciprocal knitting, the foot section F betweenV the heel pocket and the toe pocket P by rotary knitting, and the toe pocket by reciprocal knitting.

When it is desired to introduce terry loops or plating on the inside of the hose in conjunction with rotary knitting, as for example in the high splice area S, or the foot sole area F, a Vusual yarn guide finger 5i!Y (Fig. 3) may be employed instead of the yarn guide finger 2B, and

vthe latter raised to inactive position. In ac- Assuming that the machine is set or adjusted to operate as above described so as to produce a fabcordance with the well-known practice, the yarn guide linger 50, when arranged to feed an auxiliary yarn, may be automatically operated by thestandard pattern mechanism of the machine, so as to feed its yarn to the knitting elements only during that portion of rotation of the needle cylinder during which the terry or plating loops are to be combined with the plain loops effected bytheA body yarn. During the remainder of the course or courses so produced the finger 5B is automatically raised to inactive Vposition by the said patterning mechanism so that the auxiliary yarn Yis not interknitted with the body yarn, but ismerely iioated across the course section produced by the latter, as well understood by those skilled in this art.

Of course, the novel improvements shown and described, may be changed and modied in various ways without departing from the invention herein disclosed and more particularly dened by the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a machine of the character described yarn feeding 4means comprising, a yarn feeding finger provided with a yarn guiding tip element associated with the body of the finger so as to be freely movable relative thereto and arranged toV feed its yarn to the yarn receiving means of the machine from one of a plurality of different cooperating positions as determined by the pulling action exerted thereon by the yarn when moving in one feeding direction or another.

2. In 'a machine of the character described, two yarn feedingdevices adapted to simultaneously feed their yarnsv to thev yarn receiving means of the machine while the Vdevices are arrangedy in one related yarn feeding order, and meansincluding a yarn guide element cooperatively associated with one of said devices so as to be freely movable relative thereto and responsive to a certain change in the feeding direction of the yarn gui-:led thereby to effect a different related yarn feeding order of the devices.

3. In a machine of the character described, two yarn feeding devices adapted to simultaneously feed their yarns to the yarn receiving means of the machine while the devices are arranged in one related yarn feeding order, and means including a yarn guide element cooperatively associated with one of said devices so asy to be freely movable relative thereto in such manner that a certain change in the feeding direction of the yarn guided by the movable element will effect a change in the related yarn feeding order of the devices.

4. In a machine of thecharacter described, two yarn feeding devices adapted to simultaneously feed their yarns to the yarn receiving means of the machine while the devices are arranged in one related yarn feeding order, means including a yarn guide element cooperatively associated with one of said devices so as to be freely movable relative thereto in such manner that a certain change in the feeding direction of the yarn guided by the movable element will effect a second related yarn feeding order of the devices, and means arranged to limit the movement of said movable yarn guide element in one direction.

5. In a knitting machine, two yarn feeding devices adapted to simultaneously feed their yarns to the knitting elements of the machine while the devices are arranged in one related yarn feeding order, and means including a yarn guide elementI cooperatively associated with one of said devices so as to fbe freely movable relative thereto and responsive to a certain change in the feeding direction of the yarnl guided thereby to effect a different related yarn feeding order of the devices.

6. In a knitting machine, two yarn feeding devices adapted to simultaneously feed their yarns to the knitting elements of the machine while the devices are arranged in one related yarn feeding order, and means including a yarn guide element cooperatively associated with one of said devices so as to be freely movable relative thereto in such manner that a certain change in the feeding direction of the yarn guided by the movable element will effect a different related yarn feeding order of the devices.

'7. In a knitting machine, two yarn feeding devices adapted toy simultaneously feed their yarns to the knitting elements of the machine while the devices are arranged in one related yarn feeding order, means including a yarn guide element cooperatively associated with one of said devices so as to be freely movable relative thereto in such manner that a certain change in the feeding direction of the yarn guided by the movable element will effect a second related yarn feeding order of the devices, and means arranged to limit the movement of the movable yarn guide element in both directions.

8. In a circular knitting machine yarn feeding means comprising, a stationary throat plate unit provided with a yarn feeding element, and a yarn feeding finger arranged in cooperative association with said unit and having a movable moved by the yarn fed thereby relative to said element, and means arranged to limit the movement of said member.

10. In a circular knitting machine yarn feeding means comprising, a stationary throat plate unit provided with a yarn feeding aperture adjacent its yarn reeving edge, and a yarnfeeding finger arranged in cooperative association with vsaid unit and having a movable segmental yarn feeding member adapted to be moved by the yarn fed thereby relative to saidaperture.

11. In a circular knitting machine yarn feeding means comprising, a stationary throat plate unit provided With a yarn lreeving edge and a yarn feeding laperture vwhich .is located below said edge at a'point substantially centrally'thereof, and a yarn feeding finger arranged in cooperative association with said unit and having a movable segmental yarn feeding member adapted to be moved by the yarn fed thereby relative to said aperture.

12. In a circular knitting machine yarn feeding means comprising, a stationary throat plate unit provided with a yarn reeving edge and an aperture below the latter which is adapted to guide a yarn to the knitting elements of the machine, a yarn feeding finger arranged in cooperative association with said unit and having a movable segmental member adapted to feed a second yarn to said elements over the reeving edge from one of a plurality of positions to which the member is arranged to be moved by its yarn in accordance with the feeding direction of the latter.

13. In a circular knitting machine yarn feeding means comprising, a stationary throat plate unit provided with a yarn reeving edge and an aperture below the latter which is adapted to guide a yarn to the knitting elements of the machine, a yarn feeding finger arranged in cooperative association with said unit and having a movable segmental member adapted to simultaneously feed a second yarn to said elements over the reeving edge from one of a plurality of positions to which the member is arranged to be moved by its yarn in accordance with the feeding direction of the latter, and means limiting the movement of the member so that the latter will come to rest at one or another of said plurality of positions.

14. In a circular knitting machine yarn feeding means comprising, a horizontally positioned stationary throat plate unit provided with a yarn reeving edge and an aperture centrally located belovv the latter which is adapted to guide a yarn to the knitting elements of the machine,

and a yarn feeding finger vertically arranged in cooperative association with said unit and having a laterally movable segmental member adapted to simultaneously feed a second yarn to said elements over the reeving edge from one of a plurality of determined positions to which the member is arranged to be moved by its yarn in accordance with the feeding direction of the latter.

15. In a circular knitting machine yarn feeding means comprising, a horizontally positioned stationary throat plate unit provided With a yarn reeving edge and an aperture centrally located below the latter Which is adapted to guide a main yarn to the knitting elements of the machine, a yarn feeding nger vertically arranged in cooperative association With said unit and having a laterally swingable segmental member adapted to simultaneously feed a supplemental yarn to said elements over the reeving edge from one of a plurality of determined positions t which the member is arranged to be moved by its yarn in accordance with the feeding direction of the latter, and means limiting the movement of the member so that the latter will come to rest in a position of alignment With the main body portion of the nger or in another position.

16. A knitting machine yarn feeding device comprising, a finger-like member adapted to be pivotally mounted on a knitting'machine, a yarn guide element movably associated with said member and arranged to be moved from one position to another relative to said member by the pulling action exerted thereon by the yarn in accordance with the feeding direction thereof, and

means on the device arranged to limit the movement of said element.'

17. A knitting machine yarn feeding device comprising, a body member adapted to be mounted on a knitting machine, a yarn guide element movably associated with said member and arranged to be moved from one position to another relative to said member by the pulling action exerted thereon by the yarn in accordance With the feeding direction thereof, and means on the device arranged to limit the movement of said element from a position of alignment with said member to another position.

18. A knitting machine yarn feeding nger comprising two pivotally connected segmental parts one of Which is adapted to be mounted on a .knitting machine member and the other one of which is provided with yarn guide means and arranged to be moved from one determined position to another relative to the first of said parts by the pulling action exerted thereon by the yarn in accordance with the feeding direction thereof.

EZEKIEL KILLIAN. 

